Islwyn MP Don Touhig has pledged to back a proposed new law banning under 18s from using sunbeds.
Mr Touhig has pledged to support a Private Member’s Bill, introduced by Cardiff North MP Julie Morgan, to ensure that children are no longer able to put their health at risk by using a sunbed.
At a recent Cancer Research UK event in Parliament, Mr Touhig joined other parliamentary colleagues to hear how children raise their risk of skin cancer in later life by using sunbeds.
The charity has revealed the results of a recently commissioned survey that found more than a quarter of a million children in the UK aged between 11and 17 have used sunbeds.
He said: “I was shocked to hear how dangerous sunbeds can be to children’s health – and how many people under the age of 18 seem to be using them.
“Cancer Research UK found that 87 per cent of the public want a law to stop children using sunbeds and 90 per cent support sunbed salons being staffed.
“We really must act to prevent young people having access to sunbeds that is why I giving my support to this bill.
Harpal Kumar, Cancer Research UK’s chief executive, said: “In Scotland people under the age of 18 are now banned from using sunbeds but this is not the case in England and Wales.
“Cancer Research UK is deeply concerned about how easy it is for a very large number of youngsters, particularly girls, to use sunbeds and there is strong evidence linking sunbed use with skin cancer.
“In the UK the number of people diagnosed with skin cancer is rising faster than any other cancer and we believe that getting a law passed in Parliament to protect young people and teenagers from the dangers of sunbeds is crucial to help buck this worrying trend.”
Perhaps Mr Touhig should start his anti tanning campaign by persuading his boss, Peter Hain, the Secretary of State for Wales (and other things) to refrain from his daily top-up dose of tanning. Or is it 'false'?
Allan Pritchard